Cancer Scare

Attachment is a sign of fear -- fear of losing something we hold onto, such as life. Therefore, to be diagnosed with cancer is a traumatic experience for anyone who is attached to life. A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with cancer. A biopsy was scheduled and performed. It turned out that it was negative: it was just a viral infection that could be treated with antibiotics. What a relief! Imagine the days of anguish and trauma prior to the biopsy, and the anxiety while waiting for the result of the biopsy.

Unfortunately, many have undergone such similar excruciating experience when they were wrongly diagnosed, and, worse, when they were positively confirmed that they had cancer. But that is life: bad things do happen to good people, and misfortunes, such as diseases and tragedies, are sometimes unavoidable.

What can we do if we find ourselves in such an unfortunate situation, such as a positive cancer diagnosis? First and foremost, we must accept the reality. This might be an opportunity for letting go -- letting go of attachments in life, including the attachment to any pre-conditioned thinking that a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence, or that most cancers are incurable. Letting go, ironically enough, is a release from the bondage of anxiety and fear of the unknown. Letting go, surprisingly, provides peace and clarity of mind.

Given that cancer is a complex and multi-faceted disease involving many different body systems, organs, and tissues, we must be knowledgeable, and do not simply rely on the opinion of just one doctor. We must seek second or even third opinion, and keep an open mind for other alternative treatment options. In addition, there are many options for cancer treatments.

The next thing to do is to have a calm and open mind. We must not feel distressed, and we must be prepared to change our mindset—just as George Bernard Shaw once said: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” We must have the right mindset to combat the cancer.

It is important to remember that in life something good may come out of something bad, and when God closes a door He may also open a window. Without a close member of my family being misdiagnosed with cancer, I would not written a book entitled: Congratulation! You've Got Cancer.

My book is about what to do when one is diagnosed with cancer.  I am neither a doctor nor an oncologist. In my book, I simply show the power of the mind not only in coping with the traumatic experience of cancer but also in overcoming the disease itself. In addition, I present detailed information on what an individual must do on the cancer journey of cure and recovery. A cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Rather, it is an opportunity for growth and development. We must increase mind power to conquer the cancer.

Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau